Checking what VT sugar makers are doing

[sugartree310]

Turned on us last night , sap was still running good and clear but stunk the sugar house up pretty bad and after we made about 10 gallons of very ropey looking syrup we shut down and dumped everything else , time to clean up and look forward to next year .

[DoubleBrookMaple]

I started pulling taps yesterday, despite my earlier pledge to continue "until I could not stand the taste". My last boil the day before was unfavorable. Not terrible to me, but definitely not to be bottled. I hated to quit, but did it spontaneously after walking out to pull my reds taps. There were many sugars still looked good, but seeing a few so swelled discouraged me.
Near triple my last years numbers anyway with my expanded taps, and not possible without my home built RO that did a wonderful job. After I finish what is left in my pan I will have broken the 150 gallon mark!
Until next year....

[spud]

Looks like the sap will start running early afternoon and then run all night. It is snowing now but should be turning to rain soon. People in the area at elevations of about 600 feet or less are done. I am hoping to make it to the weekend before the syrup starts tasting a little nasty. My property is covered in snow right now but should all be melted by tonight. I think my big maples will thaw out by tomorrow and really start pouring out the sap. Good luck to all that are sticking it out.

Spud

[tcross]

pulled the plug Friday night! decided not to take off my red maples because Friday was the last boil regardless... proved to be a dumnb mistake. syrup started getting a very slight off flavor even though my sap tasted fine! it was a good year. got a good jump on clean up over the weekend! good luck to those still in it!

[MJPJ Sugars]

Still have a few taps running strong and clear -- while buckets hanging adjacent in the same tree are dry -- guess that means the taps ran dry? Nary a bud on the big sugar maples here in Georgia; I think we'll give it one more day before closing-up the back yard.

It's been AMAZING reading and learning from the folks on this forum. Really cool that professionals take the time to share with the community here.

Thanks!!

JQ


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[abbott]

Still have a few taps running strong and clear -- while buckets hanging adjacent in the same tree are dry -- guess that means the taps ran dry?

Yes, they have probably run dry due to the bacteria growth in the tap hole. You could experiment by pulling a tap and drilling the hole 1/8th inch deeper to see what happens.

Search "reaming" in this site to read up on the pros and cons.

[bairdswift]

We are still giving it s try over here in west Fairlee. Boiled on Sunday. The first of the syrup was the week old sweets. Pushed that out with some syrup that had a little off taste.through it into a barrel as a mix. Going to give it another shot and see if we can't make another 50 or so gallons for some beer money and call it good. Saps running ok. 1/2 a gal per tap today and should run into tomorrow

[spud]

Sap picked up over the night and my tanks are full. Yesterday the sap was pretty cloudy but it is clearing up now. Hoping to keep the season alive to the weekend. What are others getting for price per pound on there good stuff? Organic and non Organic? I had a friend say HighLand was paying $2.20LB for good stuff.

Spud

[rhwells2003]

Sap picked up over the night and my tanks are full.

yyeeaahh I checked my tanks at 9 last night, they were a little over half full but sap was just trickling in. I check them this morning, tanks are overflowing and sap is pouring in. It really turned on over night. Not the best looking sap, but doesn't have any sort of bad smell to it. I'll keep sucking it till the guy that boils it pulls the plug. I'm guessing another day or two

[spud]

Sap ran ok today and it is nice and clear. Being told it is making ok tasting syrup. Sugar is 1.4% today which is up from yesterday. Hoping to go till Sunday.

Spud